


Do You Believe In Magic?

by mikazuki21



Category: Carole & Tuesday (Anime), Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Carole and Tuesday yokai au, Comfort, cartoon reference, english speaking yokai, potential series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:54:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23174254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikazuki21/pseuds/mikazuki21
Summary: A rumor spreads at school. Something unnew for a school rumor, but not impossible.So Natsume investigates.
Relationships: Madara "Nyanko-sensei" & Natsume Takashi, Natsume Takashi & Youkai, Tuesday Simmons & Carole Stanley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Do You Believe In Magic?

**Author's Note:**

> ...I can explain.
> 
> I know Natsume Yuujinchou and Carole & Tuesday are completely different series (NatsuYuu with its supernatural elements and calmness, and C&T with its futuristic theme and beautiful music), but I thought I could combine them in a fanfic.
> 
> I've been loving these two series since last year until now, and some of the songs in C&T could really relate to Natsume and the others a lot, so there.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

It all happened years ago, in a bridge, while waiting for the sun to set.

Natsume thinks he's just a nuisance to the family he's currently living with. How couldn't he be? He's not normal. He only gives people trouble by having the ability to see what they couldn't, and now he made another mess on the home where he's not even welcome.

So he settles on the large, wide bridge, avoiding any yokai, ignoring the people staying and passing by, and ruminates on how unfortunate this day was, like usual.

He heard a sound from afar, and he looks at its direction. A foreign looking girl was playing a keyboard, then she hums. Both in sync and so pleasantly serene to the ears. Nobody in this bridge are paying attention on the beautiful tune except for him. It's saying something, but he couldn't understand what.

The music ends when another foreign  
girl approaches with a guitar case (He felt disappointed, but curious on what they're talking about). He watches for a moment, then a police interrupted their seemingly first meeting.

They ran away from the police, and passes through him, with big smiles on their faces. Natsume continues to watch them until they're completely out of sight.

Witnessing that meeting, he felt like something was going to change for them.

Natsume couldn't help but think that this is a bad idea. They're currently inside the school grounds with Nyanko-sensei, secretly sneeking through classrooms, facilities and halls at night. He knew too well that even if he's a student, going to school on close hours is still considered trespassing. He's done for if he get caught by authorities, or if Touko and Shigeru finds out, his whole body shivers at the possible consequences.

But with the rumor going on for a couple of weeks, he couldn't help but investigate. It started with Kitamoto telling him a rumor about ghosts playing music inside the building every night, then someone from the other class said that she heard instruments when she passed on the school gate nights ago. Tanuma and Taki are also suspicious on the spreading rumor. And just minutes ago, he heard Nishimura screeching, then ran to him and his cat when he spot them, telling Natsume that there's a piano and guitar playing in the building when he's trying to get his notebook.

Finally getting the suspicion out of him, Natsume volunteered to get Nishimura's notebook, and went straight to school with his bodyguard. It was already late at night, and they can clearly see the moonlight even from far distance from the window, so bright that it illuminates inside the building.

"Here we go again..." Nyanko-sensei lowly growls.

"What, sensei?"

" _You_ , you idiot!" The cat points at him, then spats the usual tantrum, "You're bringing yourself on some unnecessary troubles again! And now I'm here to fix this upcoming mess!"

"I have to, sensei. The rumors going on for weeks now."

"So what? It doesn't concern you. We could've just go home and let me savour my sweet sake but _no_ , you have to meddle in whatever case this was and mingle with whoever was the source of this! Don't blame me if you got eaten!"

"It scared Nishimura, what if it gets worse?" Natsume counter attacks. He knew that even if he's breaking school rules and ignoring Nyanko-sensei's warnings, he knew that this is the right thing to do. The rumor was already causing a commotion probably not only on his friends and class, but on the whole campus. If this continues on, he don't know what he'll do if this gets out of hand. "Besides, I promised to get his notebook."

Nyanko-sensei gave him his long look, then he yowls. "Fine! But you owe me half of your meal tomorrow!"

Natsume sighs. "Got it, sensei..."

They kept walking for a while, then the cat stops, causing Natsume to feel cautious. His hand held the bag with the Book of Friends inside in instinct. Is the yokai coming? Is it dangerous?

"What's wrong, sen-"

"A butterfly!" The cat screams, staring on a small blue butterfly.

All of those worries deflates, replacing with an unamused face on his exasperating bodyguard.

"I'll catch it!"

"Wait!" Before he call out to him, it was already too late as he was already sprinting through the butterly fleeing away, leaving Natsume alone in the hall. "Nyanko-sensei!"

Short seconds later, he flinches when he heard a faint piano from a long distance, then a guitar follows. Intruments playing releases different tune that it sounds like they're testing.

Natsume slowly and cautiously, approaches the source of the sound. He tries not to make a sound to avoid getting caught by something possibly detrimental. Once the sound turns louder as he proceeds, the feeling of familiarity peeks inside him, further expanding his curiousity on somebody behind it.

It tooks him a brief moment to reach the  
source, and sneeks behind the wall before he peeks on what's inside the room.

When he did, he was welcomed with a surprise.

His eyes widens at the silhouette of two girls against the bright moon, the same girls who ran away with their instruments and laughter escaping their lips on the bridge years ago. They're completely the same last time he saw them. And by that observation, he already knew that they're yokai.

They seem to be saying something. Natsume turns his face behind and leans his back on the wall, listening closer to their voices.

 _"Mind if we play that song again?"_ One of them asks, voice low and boyish.

 _They're speaking English!?_ Natsume encountered lots of surprises this night, but he never thought yokai speaking in english are part of them. Luckily for him, despite currently lacking the skill to converse in the language, he can atleast understand what they're saying.

 _"Which one?"_ The other voice was small and soft.

_"You know, the first song we created?"_

_"Oh, that. Its been a long time..."_

_"Yeah. That song started it all."_

_"You know, if it wasn't for that song you played that day, we never would've got a chance to met. I'm really glad we did."_

_"I was thinking the same thing. I consider myself lucky because of that and, I'm thankful for having you here with me."_

_"Me too. Time sure really flies..."_

_"Yeah..."_

Brief adjustments of instruments were heard, then the music plays.

The sound of the keyboard starts, a sorrowful but mellow sound, like the one he heard before.

Then the guitar and the vocal follows.

  
_🎶It's a little cold in paradise tonight_   
_Love faded_   
_I'm finding new forms, I write it out_   
_It's fine for now_   
_Then you come along and I cry_   
_Liberated_   
_I'm seeing clearly now, there's no turning back_   
_And I'm overwhelmed🎶_

_🎶Do you really want to set the night on fire?_   
_You're my only way out_   
_Do you really want to turn your life around again?_   
_You know you're my last chance🎶_

_🎶Can you feel my..._   
_Can you feel my..._   
_Can you feel my tears? They won't dry_   
_Can you feel my..._   
_Can you feel my teardrops of the loneliest girl?_   
_The loneliest girl🎶_

  
The music ends, and Natsume couldn't feel more emotional over a song. It was the same song he heard on the bridge, and it was better than before now with the two combined their harmony. He finally understood what the song meant. It was like, they just conveyed all his pent up feelings inside his heart with a song. He's all alone in the past (nobody understands what he's going through, hunted by yokai and ostracized by people and relatives), but now, he already have everything he hope for (a family, friends, and a place he call his home).

He was too caught up in the song, that he didn't realize tears are flowing down his face.

Carole and Tuesday have so many questions regarding the boy who just showed up when they're performing. The guy doesn't seem to be an exorcist, and he doesn't seem suspicious, so they let him watch them perform when they caught him. But now, after playing the song, there he was, standing in front of them (in Carole's case, _Tuesday style_ ). Only his was much creepier, considering it was night and his face look like he witnessed something like a miracle.

 _"Carole, I've been wanting to ask this earlier, but where did that human came from?"_ Tuesday whispers, slightly shocked from the sudden appearance of the boy.

 _"I don't know. I never noticed him before."_ Carole answers. _"He's still staring at us with that face. It looks much like yours when we first met."_

Tuesday pouts on the comment, then shrugs it off when the boy was still staring. _"What are we going to do?"_

She don't know. Carole don't know how to handle this kind of situation, especially if it concerns a human. The other yokai shunned them for having different interests and love for human knowledge, and they know that they shouldn't mess around with humans even though they're so fond with them. So basically, its just her and Tuesday for a long time, playing music and spending time with each other at any places they can find. But still, they have to deal with this human who can clearly see them in their human form. But the boy's aura felt... strange...

 _"Let me handle this."_ Carole coughs. "Um... hey! Hello!"

That simple, awkward greeting got Natsume out of his senses, realizing that he just showed himself in front of these yokai, with few tears flowing from his eyes.

Strangly enough, he couldn't find himself to be embarassed on his actions. There are times in the past where he thought that he should've approached them on that sunset, and say something about the song. But now that they're here, standing right in front of him and looking at him after playing the revised version of the song, he couldn't let this chance pass. He wipes his tears out while he spoke, "I'm sorry... The song was... it was beautiful."

"Oh... Thank you so much for enjoying it." Tuesday responds, both of them smiles warmly at the small but meaningful compliment. They're only singing by themselves all the time, so when someone heard it, and was moved by their creations, a different feeling of happiness grows inside them.

Carole slowly steps closer. "That aside, are you from here, fellow trespassers like us?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to see where the music came from." He hesitates to say more, but adds, "The rumors spreads weeks ago."

"Oh, so you're a student here." Tuesday says in understanding, then frowns, "I'm sorry, are we... intruding?" Her voice small and regretful.

Natsume couldn't answer because she was right, and he don't want to say it. His sole reason of being here was to put an end to this rumor that scared the school, but it wasn't their purpose. They don't have any ill intentions, they just want to play music.

That silence just gave them a confirmation that they was, so Carole closes her eyes in understanding. "I guess we have to look for a new place then. We're sorry for scaring the school." She then disassembles her keyboard for a preparation to leave.

"We're just looking for a place where we can play freely. I hope you understand us." Tuesday says sincerely with an apologetic look.

"It's okay." Natsume responds, in shame that he have to make them leave. Where are they going now?

He then remembers the abandoned mansion where he first met Kai. It was still there, old and unused. _Maybe..._ "I know a place where you can stay. It's pretty messy, but I'm sure no one can interrupt you." He offers before they leave, probably through the window.

Their eyes widens at the offer, then looks at each other and back to him with blinding smiles he's not prepared for.

"Really? Can you show us where?" Tuesday asks with glee.

"Of course." He answers, returning a smile.

Seconds later, they're now hugging each other and jumping with joy, much like any normal girls do.

"Yes! Finally!"

"We're having a place of our own now!"

"THERE YOU ARE!"

That moment of bliss dissipates when the three of them jolts on the loud voice. Natsume turns behind to see Nyanko-sensei jumping high over him.

"Wah! A cat!"

"And a weird one!"

"Nyanko-sensei!"

"You idiotic bean sprout! Do you know how hard it was to find you in the dark!?" Nyanko-sensei raises his paws in the air, claws ready to aim Natsume's head. "You have the audacity to leave me alone, and now I found out you're flirting with these yokai!? Where's your sense of shame!?"

But Natsume held the cat still on his waist, keeping those sharp claws away from him. "You're the one who left me there, sensei! Completely distracted on a butterfly, are you really my bodyguard!?"

The two musicians are amused on their dynamic, then eyes widens on the fact that the cat talks, and the boy was clearly talking to him. Does that mean...

"Wait," Carole interrupts, grateful that they stops their fight. "So the cat is a yokai, and you know that he was?"

"Yeah."

It was Tuesday's turn to ask. "So you can see yokai? ...And you know that we are?"

Natsume nods.

"I see. No wonder you felt strange." Tuesday comments.

"Eh?"

"Not in a bad way though." Carole assures, hands waving on air with Tuesday, worried that it'll result in a misunderstanding, then tries to explain as hard as she could. "It's just that... how do I explain this... Your aura was so strong, but not that... dangerous? I mean, you don't even look scary."

"I see. I understand." Natsume responds on the explanation. "To tell you the truth, I thought something dangerous was lurking around here."

"Well... surprise..." Carole and Tuesday awkwardly laughs, then Natsume follows.

 _Why is this so awkward?_ The three thought on themselves.

"Tch, inconvenient morons." Nyanko-sensei snides. "Are you idiots done with your chit chat? My sake is waiting for me."

Carole frowns on the insult. "You know, you're completely different from Garfield. Even if he's an idiot, he's well mannered, unlike you." She says, then grins when Nyanko-sensei glares.

"He kinda resembles him though." Tuesday adds, to which Carole nods in agreement.

"Yeah, he looks like the lazy type. Someone you'll fight the urge to grill like a barbeque."

"Who's Garfield?" Natsume asks in curiousity.

"You don't know?" Carole seems to be surprised. Aren't most kids love that show? "It's an old american cartoon I used to watch. Wait, I think I have a picture in here..." Carole reaches her pockets with a smirk, then picks up a folded paper. "Take a look at this. Doesn't they look alike?

When she opens it, they all took a look, then Natsume and Tuesday laughs.

Nyanko sensei bristles, "HOW DARE YOU!? I looked nothing like him! If anything, I looked cuter than this cat!"

"A long lost brother then?"

"As if!"

"That's it! I'll call you Nyanfield!"

"Me too! It sounds cute!"

"What on earth is that name!? You don't get to decide what to call me!"

"Aren't you glad, _Nyanfield-sensei_?"

"Shut up!"

The room was filled with scowls and laughter. It was a strange, but warm night, completely different from Natsume's encounters with other yokai. They all talked about different sort of things that they forgot about the time, but for some reason, Natsume doesn't seem to mind at all.

He's going to tell Tanuma and Taki about this. They would surely love their song. And that reminds him, he have one more thing to do tonight.

"Oh right. I have to get Nishimura's notebook. Let's go, sensei."

"Oh, we'll come with you. You'll take us to that abandoned mansion, right?" Carole reminds.

Natsume chuckles. "Oh, right."

"Again, we're sorry for scaring the school." Tuesday apologizes, but with a lighter tone than before.

"It's okay." He assures with a smile. "By the way, my name is Natsume Takashi. What's yours?"

After a nice, relaxing night, friendships are made.

**Author's Note:**

> Do You Believe In Magic? - is a song written by John Sebastian. It was first recorded and released by his group, The Lovin' Spoonful in 1965. According to the lyrics, the magic referenced in the title is the power of music to supply happiness and freedom to both those who make it and those who listen to it. (Wikipedia)
> 
> Edit: I was thinking of turning this into a series. Idk I just want to explore more about how Carole and Tuesday's lives would be as yokai in NatsuYuu universe. Plus, I'd like to try adding yokai musicians in foreign disguise in Natsume's life and see how it'll turn out.


End file.
